Vault-cover, &amp;c.



No. 793,545. PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905. T SCOTT VAULT COVER; &o.APPLICATION FILED 00T.1s,1904.

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No. 793,545. PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

' T. SCOTT.

VAULT COVER, &0.

APPLICATION FILED OQT.13,1904

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UNITED STATES Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

VAULT-COVER, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,5a5, dated June2'7, 1905.

Application filed October 13, 1904. Serial K0. 228,365- A To all whom,it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE SoorT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Monticello, in the county of White and State of Indiana,have invented new and useful Improvements in Vault Covers and Seals, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to safes and their vaults and means forsecuring the safes in their vaults to prevent them from being tamperedwith by burglars or other wrongdoers.

I mention the invention as having relation to safe-covers; but it willbe apparent that it may be employed in any vault as well where safety ofthe contents of the same is a matter of concern.

It is the particular object of the invention to provide safety-coverswhich shall prevent burglars and other wrongdoers from reaching the safeor contents of the vault by means of explosives.

The invention will be fully set forth in the specification hereinaftergiven in view of the annexed drawings,forming a part of thespecification, in which the same symbols of .reference designate thesame parts or features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is avertical sectional view of a safe-vaultwith the safe therein at the bottom, though as regards some parts of theinvention it might as well be re-' garded as a casket or other object.Fig. 2 is a diagram, on a larger scale, of a vault-cover.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the same, showing.

of the vault may itself be made within a strong substantial structure 13within a bank or other building. The casing to the vault may be ofchilled metal or other material and may be as thick and strong asdesirable, stronger in one part than another, if desired, and otherwiseleft for variance in form and arrangement to the suggestions ofmechanical skill. At points in the vault-shaft below the surface and asfrequently as may be desired the casing 10 may be provided with a ledge14:, upon which may rest a cover 15, with a packing 16 of any suitablecharacter to render it dust and water proof interposed between the coverand ledge, so that any explosive cannot be worked through from above thecover to any point below it. Connected with the casing beneath eachledge is a lug or catch 16, adapted to be engaged by a latch 17,constructed as a bell-crank lever pivoted to the under side of thecover, the shorter arm 18 acting as a catch and the longer arm 19overweighted and extending down to a point so low that when the safe islifted it will engage the longer arm 'and move it far enough to unlatchthe cover, so that on its further movement upward it may carry the coverwith it, one cover lifting the next cover above, and so on, the reversemovement replacing the covers.

By the means described the covers 15 are self-locked in place, not onlyagainst being released from above, but against a possibility of havingexplosives worked through under the cover and there exploded, so as toget it out of the way.

It is repeated that there may be as many covers employed as is deemeddesirable or necessary.

At the bottom of the vault where the safe or other matter or object isdeposited the easing may be made heavier or thicker to still betterprotect it, and it is provided with a tight packing and covering, sothat explosives cannot be made to reach it, and if it be a safe to bereleased by a time-lock mechanism the latter may be placed beneath thesafe to still the more greatly assure of its being kept safe againstbeing reached by burglars.

Objects properly placed in a vault equipped with my improvements willnot only be mechanically secured against being tampered with, but theywill be tightly secured against the introduction of explosives and otherthings as well.

It is contemplated that the vaults shall be formed in the ground and runin a vertical manner. Still these things are unimportant, so long asthey are made burglar-proof and tightly secured, as described, or sothat an essential part of the substance of the improvements flows fromthe structure.

It is to be noted that my improvements are for the most part adapted tobe employed in cemetery-vaults as well as in safes, and I propose totake advantage of these and all other proper uses that may be made ofit.

It is to be understood that in my improvements the vault-covers are alllocated well underground in contradistinotion to being placed at thesurface.

In another application for a patent, filed of even date herewith, SerialNo. 228,366, I have shown and described a disappearing safe in wvliiclia cover is represented resembling the plurality of covers and associatedparts herein shown, and reference may be had thereto; but in the saidother application no claim is made to said cover or covers claimedherein.

What is claimed is- 1. A combined vault and disappearing safe comprisinga cemented area to a suitable depth, a safe-vault formed in said area, asafe in said vault, a plurality of covers to the safe, at intervalswithin the vault, below the surface, provided with locks or fasteningson their under sides, and releasable only by the action of thesafd'thereon from below.

2. A combined vault and disappearing safe comprising a cemented area toa suitable depth, a safe-vault formed in said cemented area, a pluralityof covers to the safe, at intervals within the vault, below the surface,provided with looks or fastenings on their under sides and releasableonly by the action of the safe thereon from below, each succeeding coverconsidered from above downward, being of less diameter than those above.

3. A combined vault and disappearing safe comprising a cemented area toa suitable depth, a safe-vault formed in said cemented area, a cover tothe safe in the vault, below the surface, provided with fastening meansreleasable only by the action of the safe thereon from below.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

' THEODORE SCOTT.

Witnesses:

ORE ELDRIDGE, EMORY B. SELLERS.

